SPRINGFIELD — An official of the State Police forensics laboratory told a Hampden Superior Court on Thursday that the Maynard laboratory will prioritize testing of DNA in the case of four defendants charged with killing Reality Shabazz Walker.

But Judge Peter A. Velis only asked Kristen Sullivan, deputy director of the forensic unit for the laboratory, about timelines in the case.

Velis at a hearing earlier this week had said a representative of the laboratory must be in court Thursday so he could ask them about the lab’s policies, procedures and how it prioritizes cases.

He made that order as part of ongoing hearings on three defense lawyers’ motions related to the length of time it has taken to get DNA testing started after the Nov. 30, 2010 fatal shooting.

Reality Shabazz Walker

Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni stood before Velis on Thursday and said the lab was not at all at fault in this case.

He said the lab had faxed the necessary paperwork to start testing – to the attention of Assistant District Attorney Diane M. Dillon – in March, but somehow the paperwork did not reach her desk.

It was not until five months later, when the lab wanted to know what to do with the items, that the problem was discovered and the lab was asked to fax the papers again, he said.

Mastroianni said it was inappropriate to question Sullivan on the lab’s general policies and procedures at a hearing on a specific case.

Lawyers for Diaz, Nieves and Oliveras asked Velis to release their clients on bail because they had been in jail awaiting trial so long because of the DNA issue.

Velis turned down the request for Diaz and Nieves, saying if DNA took longer than anticipated he would look at the request again. He said he will have a decision on Oliveras on Sept. 21.

Mastroianni told Velis he now wants to have an independent lab in Texas do the DNA testing, and his office would pay for it.

He said he would rather do that than ask the State Police lab to push this case ahead of cases that have been in line for testing.

Velis, however, said he wanted the testing at the State Police lab.

Defense lawyers Dale E. Bass, Donald W. Frank and Alan J. Black all argued Velis should bar the prosecution from using DNA at trial as a sanction for the delay in DNA testing.

Velis said he still hasn’t decided on the sanction issue, although he did order the DNA testing to proceed.

Jeffrey S. Brown, Lionel Lopez’ lawyer, said he wants testing done.

Sullivan said as soon as the defense experts can coordinate their schedules to be present when testing is done, testing will begin and a report will be ready in five weeks, an accelerated timeline.

Velis’ inquiry deals with the State Police lab in Maynard which does DNA testing in cases.

A major problem at a now-closed State Police laboratory in Jamaica Plain has so far has not caused problems with cases in Mastroianni’s office or the office of Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan.

Gov. Deval Patrick said Monday the problem at the Jamaica Plain lab – caused by the improper handling of drug samples by a state chemist – is “very serious.”